MagicJack VocalTec hires Seth Cummings, ex-Scatteree Partners, as executive vice president-marketing, new post … Crown Media promotes to senior vice presidents Darren Melameth for program planning & acquisitions and Randy Pope for programming & development … CTI Towers wireless tower operator hires Joe Ryan, ex-American Tower, as vice president-acquisitions, new position … Newly named Ethernet Alliance officers: John D'Ambrosia, Dell, chairman; Scott Kipp, Brocade, president and treasurer; Howard Frazier, Broadcom, secretary. Named directors: David Fair, Intel; Tom Fawcett, JDS Uniphase; Gilda Foss, NetApp; and Manoj Wadekar, QLogic … Media Institute First Amendment Advisory Council adds Greg Lukianoff, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
Tw telecom promotes John Blount to president; he remains chief operating officer … Clear Channel promotes Darren Davis to president of the newly created Clear Channel Networks Group … Range Networks commercial open-source cellular systems provider hires Edward Kozel, ex-Deutsche Telekom, as CEO … Among those new to Alliance for Women in Media board for 2014 as at-large director is Christine Merritt, Ohio Association of Broadcasters … Quilt coalition representing advanced regional research and education networks includes in 2014 executive committee: Don Welch, Merit Network, as chairman; Mike Phillips, Lonestar Education and Research Network, vice chairman; Amy Philipson, Pacific Northwest GigaPoP, treasurer; and Ron Hutchins, Southern Crossroads, secretary … Warren Communications News promotes Cory Bennett to assistant managing editor, Washington Internet Daily.
MPAA hires for government and regulatory affairs Patrick Kilcur, ex-Senate floor staffer for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as vice president, and Ben Staub, ex-House Judiciary Committee Democratic staff, as director … Cox Enterprises hires Jennifer Prime, ex-FCC Wireline Bureau Competition Policy Division, as director-regulatory affairs … CBS promotes Barry Chamberlain to president-sales, CBS Studios International, working on traditional, VOD, digital and other content … YES Network President-CEO Tracy Dolgin remains in that role as 21st Century Fox buying majority of network (see separate report above in this issue) … Viacom’s Nickelodeon moves senior vice presidents Sarah Noonan to SVP-live action content and Jay Schmalholz for live event television … Entravision hires Andrew Polsky, ex-Spanish Broadcasting System, as vice president-national digital marketing solutions … Mformation Software Technologies that manages wirelessly connected devices hires as vice presidents: Christine Bolles, ex-Ericsson, for marketing and product management; Richard Barton, ex-Comverse, operations; Luca Ferrari, ex-Giesecke & Devrient, sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Gabriel Camarena, whose past employers include Comverse and Gilat, for sales-Latin America … Nexstar adds Dennis Miller, TV Guide Network, to board, replacing Erik Brooks, Abry Partners, who retired as a director Jan. 16.
21st Century Fox’s Fox International Channels and RCN Television Group hire Ibra Morales, ex-Katz Television Group, as president of their joint venture MundoFox … Disney promotes Debra O'Connell to president, ABC National Television Sales, succeeding John Watkins, who had said he’s retiring at month’s end.
Stateside Associates state government affairs firm promotes Robert Holden to senior vice president … Larry Irving, consultant to international telecom and information technology companies and nonprofits, returns to Internet Innovation Alliance as co-chairman … Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro stepping down in February … New Viacom Program Acquisitions Group joining planning and analysis, inventory management, acquisition and buying activity for all Viacom Media Networks’ domestic program acquisitions to be led by: David Bernath, executive vice president-programming & multiplatform strategy, Comedy Central; and Executive Vice President Barbara Zaneri, promoted to that title for program acquisitions, new position.
Jones Day hires Bruce Olcott, ex-Squire Sanders, as partner, Government Regulation Practice, working on satellite, wireless and wireline issues … Best Best & Krieger promotes Gerard Lederer to partner in municipal law practice group, where he focuses on telecom law and government relations services … Entercom promotes Pat Paxton to president-programming … Viacom promotes Niels Schuurmans to executive vice president, Viacom Velocity Creative Content Solutions, new position that includes digital and cross-network campaigns and is part of Viacom Velocity’s integrated marketing initiative that just began and includes merging the company’s Music and Entertainment Integrated Marketing teams that now are under Dario Spina, executive vice president, Velocity Integrated Marketing … Ingo Money network for smartphones to access money from checks hires Matt Frye, ex-Visa, as senior vice president and head, network sales … ITV Studios America promotes Patrice Andrews to chief operating officer-East Coast … Telemundo Media promotes Allan Infeld to vice president-client development.
Harris Corp. promotes Tracey Haslam to president, Harris CapRock Communications … FirstLight Fiber hires Gary Kraemer, ex-Fidelis Security Systems, as chief financial officer and senior vice president; ex-CFO Sean Socha relocating to his hometown for family reasons … Suddenlink hires Katherine Payne, ex-Cox Communications, as senior vice president-chief programming officer, effective Feb. 24, succeeding Patricia McCaskill, retiring … Damballa cybersecurity firm hires David Earhart, ex-CA Technologies, as senior vice president-worldwide field operations, and Julie Preiss, ex-Dell SecureWorks, as vice president-marketing … magicJack VocalTec promotes Mary Kennon to vice president-customer experience.
Altman Vilandrie consulting firm promotes Laurence Wong to principal, advising on telecom, media and technology … Emerald Networks new undersea fiber network provider names Alan Clarke, ex-TE Connectivity, as chairman … Sprint names to board Marcelo Claure, Brightstar … Also elected to Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing board (CD Jan 17 p17) are Peter Ban, HBO, and Greg Butz, Comcast.
FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly names Susan Fisenne, ex-Consumer and Government Affairs Bureau, confidential assistant … Public Knowledge hires Gene Kimmelman, ex-New America Foundation Internet Freedom and Human Rights project, as president and CEO … Scott Blake Harris, of Wilkinson Barker, representing makers of consumer electronics, named to Department of Energy Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Committee … Crown Media promotes Kristen Roberts to executive vice president-pricing, planning & revenue management, expands Susanne McAvoy’s job to executive vice president-marketing, creative, and communications, and Michelle Vicary assumes oversight of program publicity and talent relations as executive vice president-programming and network publicity … Charter Communications hires Richard Schultz, ex-Cox Communications, as senior vice president-inbound sales & retention … Elected Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing chairwoman is Gemma Toner, Cablevision.
FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai names Jeffrey Neumann, detailed from Media Bureau’s Engineering Division, acting legal adviser for wireless, public safety and issues affecting the disabled … Willkie Farr promotes to partner Jonathan Friedman for Communications, Media & Privacy Department and Matthew Freimuth for antitrust and competition … Discovery Communications promotes JB Perrette to president, Discovery Networks International, replacing Mark Hollinger, who disclosed resignation in September … Scripps Networks Interactive promotes Tamara Franklin to executive vice president-digital … Among nominations Senate Commerce Committee approved, as it OK'd Terrell McSweeny to become FTC commissioner (CD Jan 15 p17), are Robert Simon as Office of Science and Technology Policy associate director-environment and energy.